The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is a major worldwide pest that attacks both living trees and structural wood. Unlike other subterranean termites, the Formosan termite can establish a colony that does not touch the ground.
Coptotermes formosanus is native to southeast Asia, but is now also found in Hawaii, along the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States, and in the Gulf South of the United States. First discovered in the United States in 1965, C. formosanus has gradually expanded its geographic domain. The largest single locus of C. formosanus in the United States is in south Louisiana, with heavy infestations in Lake Charles and New Orleans. C. formosanus may in some cases displace native Reticulitermes spp.
There is a continuing need for improved techniques for causing mortality to termites because of the ongoing infestation threats.